JUDITH WRIGHT CENTRE OF CONTEMPORARY ARTS

WELCOME FROM NATALIE WEIR ARTISTIC DIRECTOR, EXPRESSIONS DANCE COMPANY (EDC)

Welcome to this performance of PROPEL. The PROPEL initiative premiered in 2014, and I am so thrilled we have been able to present it again. This is an initiative that is close to my heart. PROPEL is a platform for both emerging and established choreographers to create work with strong dancers in a supportive environment, and to have those works presented to the public. EDC can play a large part in the support and development of the choreographers of the future and as part of that I would like to see this initiative become a biannual event.

I am proud that EDC is presenting four works as part of PROPEL. Established independent artist Lisa Wilson has created a stunning and dynamic work, emerging choreographers Amy Hollingsworth and our very own Elise May have created passionate, moving and theatrical works, and Xu Yiming, who is here as part of our ongoing Australia China Dance Exchange, has developed a gorgeous solo work that each of the male members of the ensemble will perform during the season.

I am excited to continue our relationship with the very talented lighting designer Ben Hughes, and we welcome Alana Sargent to EDC as Costume Designer. Her designs are beautiful and she really understands what a dancer needs.

For this season of PROPEL we welcome two new dancers to EDC. Jake McLarnon, who audiences met last year when he was guest artist for When Time Stops, has joined the company as a full time member. He is a wonderful company member and artist. We also welcome Alana Sargent as a full time member of the company. Alana joined us at the end of last year for our China tour. This is Alana’s first season in Brisbane as a full company member. She is a unique talent.

The rest of the ensemble remains - Michelle Barnett, Richard Causer, Benjamin Chapman and Elise May, who this year has been promoted to Assistant to the Artistic Director. We say goodbye sadly to Cloudia Elder and Rebecca Hall. Both have left EDC to pursue their passions elsewhere. I wish them the very best for their future and thank them for their input into the creative development of this season.

I hope you are inspired by PROPEL.

At Expressions Dance Company, we create moments to take your breath away. For 32 years, EDC has created more than 150 works by 75 different choreographers. We’ve provided sustainable employment for more than 70 dancers. We’ve enjoyed 22 international tours to 17 countries, and 23 major Queensland tours.

Our dancers and choreographers are among the best in the world. EDC has received ten Helpmann Award nominations and 9 Australian Dance Award nominations for Natalie Weir signature works.

But to continue leaping to new heights, we need the support of our community. Discover ways to keep us dancing at expressionsdancecompany.org.au.

ABOUT EXPRESSIONS DANCE COMPANY

Help keep us dancing.

FROM OUR beginnings in 1984 we have become one of Australia’s premier arts companies, contributing extensively to the evolution and future of contemporary Australian work, recognised through significant national awards.

We strongly believe that our stories need to be told. To continue leaping to new heights we need your support. Through your donations, our Invest in a Dancer program, corporate partnerships or our much-loved Friends of EDC, you too can come along on our journey as we continue to inspire Queensland, Australia and the world.

expressionsdancecompany.com.auadmin@expressionsdancecompany.org.auor call 07 3257 4222

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PROPEL will run for approximately 110 minutes including intervals.A brief pause will follow the performance of Written on the Body.

HOLLOW LANDS Choreography: LISA WILSON in collaboration with the EDC dancers. Dancers: Michelle Barnett, Richard Causer, Benjamin Chapman, Elise May, Jake McLarnon and Alana Sargent.Costume Design: Alana SargentLighting Design: Ben Hughes Sound Design: Matt CornellSound Composition: Matt Cornell, Guy Webster and Ben Ely, Yvan TeirsonLighting Concept inspired by Through Hollow Lands, by Etta Lilienthal/realised in collaboration with BenHughes, Bruce McKinven and Leonie Lee.

Hollow Lands is a response to the sculptural light instillation Through Hollow Lands, by Etta Lilienthal. It is a multi-layered response that teeters between abandonment and structure. I was interested in the idea of coming to the brink - a precipice of internal landscapes. I found this a powerful and evocative image and the collision of physical intentions ruptures and intensifies these internal struggles.

“As we live our precarious lives on the brink of the void, constantly coming closer to a state of non-being, we are all too often aware of our fragility” Iris Murdoch

With my sincere thanks to the dancers of EDC for their unwavering commitment, and incredible creativity and artistry. With thanks also to Cloudia Elder, Gabriel Comerford, Jag Popham and Rebecca Hall for their contribution to the early creative development.

Finally, enormous thanks to my stellar creative team - Matt, Ben and Alana and to Natalie for this wonderful opportunity to create new work!

LISA WILSON

[ 20 MINUTE INTERVAL ]

WRITTEN ON THE BODY Choreography: ELISE MAY in collaboration with the EDC dancers. Dancers: Michelle Barnett, Richard Causer, Benjamin Chapman, Jake McLarnon and Alana Sargent.Lighting Design: Ben HughesAudiovisual Design: Elise May in collaboration with Ben Hughes.Music: Excerpts from music by Frank Bretschneider & Ralph Steinbrüchel, Origamibiro, Ólafur Arnalds, Julia Kent, Agnes Obel and Nicholas Jaar.

Written on the Body is primarily concerned with perception and the effect of those around us on our own intimate, private world. Each encounter with another seems to change our future and the very fibre of who we are. We are not only changed by those we let into our inner world but we all appear to be interconnected like insects in a web of dynamic energy. Written on the Body acknowledges these subtle embodied memories through which we become shaped.

The development of this work unfolded from a series of experiments with sensory inputs; sound, image, text, touch and kinaesthetic response. From these early experiments movement material arose that spoke of the sensitive inner worlds of mind-body sensation, interpersonal relationships and intrinsic autonomic responses to external information.

Thank you to Natalie Weir and EDC for this opportunity to work with such an incredibly talented ensemble of dancers; Michelle Barnett, Richard Causer, Benjamin Chapman, Jake McLarnon and Alana Sargent. This process was in every way a collaboration and for that reason this is their work as much as it is my own. The contribution of dancers Rebecca Hall, Gabriel Comerford and Cloudia Elder in the early development phases has greatly affected the creative outcomes and for their input I am truly thankful. Thanks also to Alana Sargent (costume design) and Ben Hughes (lighting design) for their support of my vision and their creative and collaborative energy.

ELISE MAY

WAITING ALONE Choreography: XU YIMINGDancers: Solo feat. Richard Causer (3 &11 March), Benjamin Chapman (8 & 10 March) andJake McLarnon (4 & 9 March). Costume Design: Alana SargentLighting Design: Ben HughesSound Design: Xu Yiming Music: Moonlight Sonata by Beethoven

Waiting Alone reflects a period of my life when I was lost, helpless and directionless. Perhaps it was because of all this negativity that I was prompted to seek answers. What stood out for me was the pursuit of freedom and the urge to find that ideal state where freedom lies.

During my staging of the piece with EDC’s dancers, I was touched by how the dancers were very energetic at learning the piece, being that they were not at a stage of loss as I had been at that aforementioned time.

Because I know it is very difficult for a dancer to copy another dancer, I have decided to change my way of rehearsing with them. Instead of focusing on the step-by-step, I presented the piece as a subject for pondering. They simply learned the steps but each dancer is free to interpret the steps and the music as his own dance.

XU YIMING

[ 10 MINUTE INTERVAL ]

DEEPER THAN INKChoreography: AMY HOLLINGSWORTH Dancers: Michelle Barnett, Richard Causer, Benjamin Chapman, Elise May, Jake McLarnon andAlana Sargent. Costume Design: Alana SargentLighting Design: Ben HughesSound Design: Wil Hughes.Score: Flex, Peter Venkman Part 1 and Secant by Ben Frost and Church Dream by Ryuichi Sakamoto & Alva Noto

From the exhilarating and all-consuming first fall, to the creeping suffocation of feeling, to the grief of a love still deeply etched in one’s heart, yet lost... Deeper Than Ink explores the tumultuous and powerful emotional intensity of having someone inked on your soul deeper than any tattoo.

I want to express my deepest gratitude to Natalie Weir for giving me this amazing opportunity to work with the incredible dancers of EDC. The environment you have created for new work to be brought to life is truly wonderful to experience. To the dancers, thank you for not only your absolute commitment but also your boundless generosity and talent. I also want to acknowledge and thank Cloudia Elder, Jag Popham, Gabriel Comerford and Rebecca Hall for their contribution during the early stages of the creative development. And lastly, a huge thanks to my incredibly talented design team - Alana, Ben and Wil.

AMY HOLLINGSWORTH

PROPEL will run for approximately 110 minutes including intervals.A brief pause will follow the performance of Written on the Body.

Photo by Elise May featuring Michelle Barnett

AMY HOLLINGSWORTH Choreographer,“Deeper than Ink”

Amy is a multi award-winning dancer and director, based in Brisbane and described by the UK Observer as one of ‘the most

compelling and intelligent dancers on the world stage’.Born in Australia and classically trained at The Australian Ballet School, she danced as a Principal and leading dancer in companies such as Rambert Dance Company, Royal New Zealand Ballet, Peter Schaufuss Balletten, Bonachela Dance Company, Michael Clark Company, Hofesh Shechter Company, George Piper Dances and Sydney Dance Company. Her international performance and creative career has spanned large-scale classical ballet to independent contemporary dance, film and pop music. A founding member of Bonachela Dance Company where she was also the Assistant Artistic Director, she was instrumental in its creation and subsequent growth. She then went on to become Dance Director for Sydney Dance Company where she assisted the company’s world-renowned guest choreographers for their commissions. After moving to Brisbane in late 2014 Amy joined Expressions Dance Company as Rehearsal Director, while also choreographing and mentoring through her own company Bespoke Movement. Amy then joined Queensland Ballet as Ballet Mistress and Creative Associate in 2016. Over the past few years Amy has choreographed 6 new creations, most recently Glass Heart for QB’s Bespoke season at Brisbane Powerhouse.

ELISE MAY Assistant to the Artistic Director/Dancer/Choreographer, “Written on The Body”

Elise is a dancer, choreographer and video artist who has

worked as an independent artist in Australia and internationally, as well as a member of Expressions Dance Company (EDC). Elise’s interest in performance design, installation, sound and moving image and has led her to create works such as Close Proximity, her Screen Dance Laboratory and 101 Ways to Strip. Elise has worked internationally in Taiwan, the U.S, South Korea, Switzerland and extensively in China and has previously choreographed three short works for EDC. In 2012 she was awarded the ‘Outstanding Performance by a Female Dancer’ Australian Dance Award. Elise completed a Masters of Arts by Research at QUT in 2016, through which she created Shifting Lenses, investigating the use of moving image and digital media in live performance. In 2017 she embarks on her new role at EDC as Assistant to the Artistic Director.

LISA WILSONChoreographer,“Hollow Lands”

Lisa has a twenty year international career working as director, choreographer, producer, performer, educator and mentor.

Lisa’s choreographic credits include (amongst others): Lake (Judith Wright Centre of Contemporary Arts and national touring), Elbow Room (Brisbane Powerhouse), Sydney Dance Company, Queensland Theatre Company, The Australian Ballet Company, Queensland Ballet Company, Expressions Dance Company, Opera Queensland, Dance North, The Place Theatre ‘Resolution!’ (UK), Rambert Dance Company’s Education Department with the English National Trust (UK), QUT’s Dance and Drama departments and the 2008 World Dance Alliance. In 2011 Lisa was awarded the Hephzibah Tintner Choreographic Fellowship to work with Sydney Dance Company, The Australian Ballet and Opera Australia. In 2014 Lisa’s full-length work Lake, toured nationally as a Road Work tour through Performing Lines, was a finalist at The Australian Dance Awards and showcased at the Australian Performing Arts Market (APAM). Lisa has also been a leading, professional contemporary dancer and from

CHOREOGRAPHERS

1995-2012 collaborated and performed for prominent choreographers and companies throughout Australia and the United Kingdom, appearing in numerous prestigious venues and Arts Festivals worldwide in Japan, Vietnam, the United Kingdom, Austria, Switzerland, Singapore, China, Germany, Mexico, New Caledonia and the U.S.A. In 2015, she joined the board of Ausdance Qld and The Supercell Festival of Contemporary Dance, providing dance expertise and representing the interests of dance artists at a governance level.

XU YIMINGChoreographer,“Waiting Alone”

Yiming was born in Zhangjiakou of Hebei Province in China. He began his dancetraining at the Beijing Runliang Dance School

in 1997. He then joined the Guangzhou Song and Dance Company in 2001 and the Beijing Modern Dance Company in the same year. He became a founding member of the BeijingDance/LDTX in 2005 and in 2013, Yiming became a teacher of the BeijingDance/LDTX training center. His major works include: Dad, Head Against Earth, The Snail, Twi and Twa and Waiting Alone. In 2016, Yiming was invited by Ballett Chemnitz (Germany) to create Gesicht der Gross.

BEN HUGHESLighting Designer

As Lighting Designer Ben has credits across theatre, dance and opera including productions with Queensland Theatre, Sydney Theatre Company, Melbourne

Theatre Company, Opera Queensland, Belvoir, La Boite Theatre Company, Queensland Ballet, Sydney Festival, Brisbane Festival, The Danger Ensemble, HotHouse Theatre, The Nest Ensemble, Zen Zen Zo Physical Theatre,

JUTE Theatre, Stella Electrika, Queensland Performing Arts Centre, Queensland University of Technology, Phluxus2 Dance Collective, Collusion, Gold Coast Arts Centre, Woodford Folk Festival and Kooemba Jdarra. For Expressions Dance Company productions include The Host and Carmen Sweet. In 2013 Ben was Resident Lighting Designer and in 2011 and 2014 an Affiliate Artist with Queensland Theatre. Ben is Associate Artistic Director of The Danger Ensemble, a Professional Member of the Association of Lighting Designers and holds accredited member status with the Australian Production Design Guild.

ALANA SARGENTCostume Designer/ Dancer

Alana graduated from the New Zealand School of Dance in 2010. In her third year of training she was offered an apprenticeship with

Sydney Dance Company sponsored by Foxtel, who chronicled her experience as a dancer into a documentary. This led to a full time position in 2012. Alana performed with the company for four years working with numerous choreographers including Jacopo Godani, Andonis Foniadakis, Alexander Ekman, Emanuel Gat and Stephanie Lake. Her performances included Rafael Bonachela’s Frame of Mind, which won ‘Best Choreography in a Dance Work’ and ‘Best Dance Work’ at the 2015 Helpmann Awards. Alana started costume design in 2015 and her first creations featured in Sydney Dance Company’s season of New Breed. Alana joined EDC in 2016 as a dancer and is also the Costume Designer for the 2017 season of PROPEL.

CREATIVE TEAM

Photo by Elise May featuring Jake McLarnon

MICHELLE BARNETTDancer

Michelle moved from Auckland, New Zealand to study a Bachelor of Fine Arts (DancePerformance) at Queensland University of Technology, graduating

with Distinction in 2011. Michelle was offered a traineeship with EDC in 2012, joining the company in 2013. EDC performances include Propel (the next step) 2014, R&J, When Time Stops, Carmen Sweet, 4Seasons (Singapore Dance Theatre), The Host, 7 Deadly Sins, Don’t and Black (Guangdong Modern Dance Company).

RICHARD CAUSERDancer

Richard completed a Bachelor of Fine Arts (Dance) at QUT in 2004 and joined EDC in 2006. He has earned nominations for Most Outstanding Male Dancer

for Natalie Weir’s Where the Heart Is in both the Australian Dance Awards (ADA) and the Helpmann Awards and was nominated for an ADA in 2012 for his self-choreographed work Wilhelm Scream. Richard moved to London in 2012 and worked with New York Legend Penny Arcade, Anomic Multimedia Theatre, Chisato Minamimura, Balbir Singh, Inky Cloak Theatre Co, Altered Skin, aerial dance company Gravity and Levity and Shobana Jeyasingh Dance Company. He has choreographed works for the Malaysian Dance Festival, Aboriginal Centre of Performing Arts, Raw Moves Dance Company (Singapore), Inky Cloak Dance Company (UK), Third Row Dance Company (UK) and more. Richard rejoined EDC in 2016.

BENJAMIN CHAPMANDancer

Benjamin graduated with an Advanced Diploma in Dance from WAAPA in 2011. 2010 saw him perform with West Australian Ballet in Sleeping Beauty, and

again in 2011 in The Taming of the Shrew. The following year he performed with TasDance in Voltage and with Ochre Contemporary Dance Company in Diaphonous. EDC performances include R&J, Don’t, Propel (the next step), Carmen Sweet, 4Seasons (Singapore Dance Theatre), When Time Stops, SOLO Festival of Dance, The Red Shoes, The Host, 7 Deadly Sins and Black (Guangdong Modern Dance Company).

JAKE MCLARNONDancer

Born in Perth, Jake completed his training at WAAPA, performing in numerous contemporary and ballet works by George Balanchine, Raewyn Hill and Xiaoxing

Zhang. Jake joined Australian Dance Theatre (ADT) for its European tour of Garry Stewart’sProximity. Shortly after he joined the ensemble full time. Other ADT highlights include the Australian season of Garry Stewart’s Proximity and Birdbrain. In 2015 Jake choreographed for the RAD Festival in Perth and its 80th Anniversary Gala in Adelaide. Jake first performed with EDC as a guest artist for the 2016 remount of When Time Stops before returning to ADT to perform Objekt by Garry Stewart. He became a company member later that year to join EDC’s 2016 China tour.

EDC DANCERSRefer to previous biographies for ELISE MAY and ALANA SARGENT.

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Rehearsal Photography by Samara Jamel featuring the EDC Dancers.

Rehearsal Photography by Samara Jamel featuring the EDC Dancers.

expressionsdancecompany.org.au

Judith Wright Centre of Contemporary Arts Level 3, 420 Brunswick Street Fortitude Valley QLD 4006

07 3257 4222 admin@expressionsdancecompany.org.au

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EDC BOARD OF DIRECTORS Marian Gibney (Chair) Tony Denholder (Deputy Chair) Ross Cunningham Rhyll Gardner Christine Johnstone Gina McLellan Dare Power Natalie Weir

EDC TEAM Artistic Director Natalie Weir Executive Director Christine Johnstone Assistant to the Artistic Director Elise May Marketing Manager Kirsten Bartholomew Production Manager Leonie Lee Producer Jen LivingstoneDevelopment Consultant Kathie Kelly Marketing and Development Coordinator Liana Cantarutti Office Administrator Jade Ellis Accountant Karen Mitchell Bookkeeper Elizabeth Lepua

PROPEL PRODUCTION TEAMProduction Manager Leonie LeeStage Manager Kelly Spice Lighting Associate Daniel AndersonLighting Supplier Matthew Riba, LED Tube Lighting Pty Ltd

Head Electrician Ronan Humphreys Costume Maker Jayne Warrington Costume Maintenance Francis Pyper Cutter and Costume Maker Gayle MacGregorQUT Secondment Madison Hirini

EDC would like to thank the following supporters of our EDC Ensemblethrough the Invest in a Dancer Donation Program

Michelle Barnett is proudly sponsored by Rhyll Gardner and Rusty Graham.Richard Causer is proudly sponsored by Tony Denholder and Scott Gibson.

Benjamin Chapman is proudly sponsored by Judith St Baker, Roberto Masnata and PowerArts.Elise May is proudly sponsored by Trevor St Baker, PowerArts, Richard Scott, Paul Newman and Lucy Bretherton.

Alana Sargent is proudly sponsored by Marian Gibney.

If you would like to invest in a dancer, please visit expressionsdancecompany.org.au or call (07) 3257 4222

Expressions Dance Company acknowledges the assistance of the Queensland Government through Arts Queensland and the Australian Government through the Australia Council, its arts funding and advisory body.

N a t a l i e W e i r ’ s

Exhilirating dance theatre featuring live jazz by trichotomy19 - 27 May 2017 • PlayHOUse QPaC

Expressions Dance Company and Queensland Performing Arts Centre present

PHOTOGRAPHY BY DAVID KELLY

eXPressiONsDaNCeCOMPaNy.OrG.aU or 136 246

Expressions Dance Company acknowledges the assistance of the Queensland Government through Arts Queensland and the Australian Government through the Australia Council, its arts funding and advisory body.

A scintilatingpeek through the hotel room door. Unleash yourinner voyeur.